Hazy Shade of Winter
by loudmist
Summary: Kahlan and Richard find a way to keep warm on a cold winter night. One shot.


_This is unbeta'd. Sorry._

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Richard was suffering in silence, all right. He was silent because inside… he was screaming his head off.

He was as cold as he had ever been; with one simple cloak to cover himself with. It helped in no way possible, and the breeze was so consistent that they couldn't even keep the fire going. He opened his snowflake-covered eyes as he his teeth chattered, and he turned over to see how Kahlan was. She was looking straight back at him, seeming in as much pain and suffering as he was. He managed to smile, and she reciprocated.

"Might as well stop stalling," Kahlan said as she licked her chapped lips.

"Stalling?" Richard shuddered and his teeth chattered and he brought his hands to his face to itch his temple.

"We both know how we can make ourselves warmer, Richard. Just… just come over here."

"I don't know if I can," he said, letting out a laugh. He felt as if his body had frozen over and he was paralyzed.

He relished the feeling in his stomach when she smiled at him. She just cocked an eyebrow and Richard felt his legs moving. He stood up, wrapping the cloak tight around him and crept over to where she was lying, trying not to wake the humble Zedd who was sleeping heavily under a big pile of snow.

He lay down behind her but she surprised him when she turned around to face him. With no words she snuggled closer to him and tucked her head under his chin. He smiled as he tried to remember the last time he was this happy, this close to someone he cared about so much. He wrapped an arm around her waist and he wanted to pull her even a little more closer, but he resisted by grasping the material of her cloak in his hands.

"Kahlan," Richard said faintly. He was unsure what to say first. What this was making him feel, or his slight concern about her powers. Kahlan reached up and held his pendant in her hands, feeling the grooves of the design. "Kahlan," Richard said again, and Kahlan looked up and put a finger on his lips.

"Just…" Kahlan started, but was unsure on how to continue. But Richard was sure, as he let his lust take over and he brought his lips around her finger and she closed her eyes when he sucked. She began to say "Oh my," in surprise when she was interrupted again when his lips met hers, hard. She froze for only a moment and then kissed him back, softly, blanking out all coherent thought. He let her taste and scent and warmth wash over him, drowning him in her. She thought of pulling away and then decided one more minute wouldn't hurt. His lips were gentle but persuasive, and before she knew it Kahlan found her tongue mingling with his. She pulled on his shirt and he followed, rolling on top of her as she wrapped her arms around his neck to bring him closer. Richard let out a soft groan, and pulled back to bury his head in her neck, kissing the soft spot behind her ear. Kahlan allowed her hands to venture down and rest on his lower back, basking in the feel of him. Richard pushed up to look at Kahlan, his eyes dark with lust.

"We…" he let out a breath and closed his eyes, "we should… stop." Without thinking he lowered his head just the slightest bit so they touched noses, and Kahlan brought her head up a fraction so that their lips just barely brushed. "Kahlan," he whispered against her mouth, and he pushed back again, trying to balance his weight over her body.

Everything was silent except their heavy breathing. Again, Kahlan lifted her head to try to bring their lips together again, blind and foolish and lost in herself, but Richard brought up a hand and softly pushed her back down. Her eyes met his, she saw his smile and felt his breath, and she smiled back. At this, Richard shook his head lightly and frowned. "We need to stop," he said again. "I don't… we can't have you loose control," he whispered, and he moved to get off of her but she still had her hands on his back and she kept him in place.

"Richard," she whispered, breathing heavily as she brushed her lips against his yet again, "All I can think about this second is keeping _warm_." At the last word Kahlan lustily and without thinking brought her hips and ground them against his. Richard let out a groan and took her mouth in his. His mind spun at the taste and feel of her, the resiliency of her lips, and her reciprocal hunger as she opened her mouth, accepting his tongue and giving him her own. He pressed his lips against the hollow of her throat, her chin, her nose, her closed eyelids. He slid his fingers and through her hair and covered her breast with one palm.

Kahlan let out a soft moan and then pushed at him and they rolled until she was on top of him, her body flushed against his, every bit touching. Richard kissed her again, and mindlessly ran a hand down her side, pausing at her waist, the voluptuous flair of her hip, before resting them on her lower back and grasping her dress in his hands. Kahlan rubbed her thumbs across Richard's rough cheeks and then held his head firmly so she could kiss him harder.

Zedd let out a snore so loud that Richard thought it was an attack. Kahlan gasped in surprise, and then covered her mouth to stifle a laugh. Richard smiled, and brought his forehead against hers.

Kahlan rolled off of him reluctantly, but Richard pushed her shoulder so that her back was facing him, and he scooted close behind her. He brought his arm around her wasit and she moved her hands to hold his against her stomach. Richard nuzzled her neck, and kissed it.

"Are you warm now?" he whispered inter her ear, sending chills down her spine. She squeezed his hand, and pushed against his body to bring their bodies even closer.

"Very," she said softly, as she closed her eyes.

Richard stayed awake until he heard Kahlan's steady breathing and felt her hands loosen their grip. He nuzzled her neck again, lightly as to not wake her, and then rested his head above hers and closed his eyes, still smiling.

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Please comment! Hope you enjoyed it, I loved writing it!


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